Grain-drier



(No Model.)

A. E. CLUTTER.

GRAIN DRIBR.

No. 288,970. Y Patente Au' z8, 1888..;

.lIIIIII'IIIIIIIIII'I'IIIII INVENTOB.: d y/' IBY ATTORNEYS.

' WITNESSES NE WE1/Q02@ I I UNITED STATES Afri-Nif ALBERT E. OLUTTER, OF LIMA, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,970, dated August 28, 1883.

, Application filed April 27, 1883.

T a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be .it known that I, ALBERT E. CLUTTER, of Lima, in the county of Allen and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Grain-Drier, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

My invention consists of a vertical smokesta'ck separated vertically by brick partitions into grain-sp aces and smoke-passages, in which IO the heat of thesinoke from the furnace of a steam-engine, or from a small furnace at the bottom of the stack when heat from another furnaceis not available, is to act upon the grain through the brick, which, being porous, a sorbs the moisture expelled from the grain by the heat to be taken up by the escaping products of combustion, which thus greatly accelerates the drying process. The smoke-lines pass entirely through the stack from, bottom to 2O top; but the grain-spaces are closed at bottom fully described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiicatiomin which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is an elevation of my improved drier in perspective view. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the linea: x of Fig. 4L through one of the smoke-fines. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation through one of the grain-spaces on 40 line y y of Fig."`4. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line z z of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectioifon line w w of Fig. 4.

I build a brick stack, a., preferably of rectangular form, and of any approved size and height7 with a small arch, b, at the bottom, suitable for a furnace for generating heat when required, dividing the space above into alternate grain-spaces c and smoke-fines d by means of brick partitions f, the smoke-fines extend- 5o ing through the stack from the arch to the top,

but the grain-spaces being inclosed by slant- (No model.)

ing bottoms g and suitable covers, 7L. Besides opening into the furnace b, the flues also have connection, a short distance above the arch, with cross-fines i, through which the smoke and hot products of combustion from the furnace of a steam-engine or other furnace are to be discharged into said fines d, for utilizing such waste heat for operating the drier, in Which the low temperature of such heat is sufficient, and is more economical than heat specially provided for the purpose. The smokepipe from such furnace is to be connected to the outside cross-flue, j, at k, where it divides and passes into the interior cross-'dues at Z, which connect with each of the vertical lues, except the terminal one, by openings m in the upper sides of said cross-fines.. With the last flue d they connect by terminating at the partition, so as to open `thereto to the full extent of their` cross-section, for making larger passages, to induce greater draftthereat, to get the due measure of the heat products past the openings into the other flues. These crossliues fi have sloping covers n where they pass through the grain-spaces c, to 'prevent any grain from lodging on them. The grain is to be spouted into the grain-spaces c through spouts o at the top, and from the bottom it escapes through passages p, regulated by gates q, into a hopper, s, from which it is to be delivered to any conveyer or elevator, as desired.

Onthe top of the stack is a smoke-dome, t, and a pipe, a, for causing the draft and couducting the smoke away.

In practice Ipropose to band the stack properly with iron at suitable intervals along it from bottom to top, and also to provide it with tie-rods extending through the smoke-ilues cl and the grain-spaces c,y which will have washers or collars on the smoke-fines and between the partitions, to prevent the pressure of the grain from collapsing the lues.

It will be seen that in this improved drier the brick partitions present one side to the heat andthe other side to the grain, and thus absorb the moisture from the grain and deliver it up to the hot gases. It utilizes the Waste heat from a boiler or other furnace. The grain enters and discharges from it by gravtation, and passes through it by settling down in uniform and undistributed masses, clearing IOO itself suitably, and enabling different batches to be-passed through it successively without mixing, except in small measure,when the different kinds meet. lt will admit different varieties at the same time in the different sections. It canbe enlarged readily at any time by adding partitions. It is perfectly fire-proof, and can be safely placed in any building, and is adapted for regulating the action at will, either by increasing or diminishing the heat or the flow of the grain, or both, for adapting it to any kind and condition of grain. The passage of the grain into and through the drier is to be continuous, the grain-spaces being always kept full by regulating the discharge at passages p.

When the heat is to be supplied from another furnace, the furnace b is to be kept closed by a gate or slide, w, so as to maintain the y ln practice the bottoms g Will be made of i brick and covered With sheet-iron to facilitate the sliding of the grain; but the tops h will be of brick only.

Having thus describedmy invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-4 1. The combination, in a grain-drier, of a series of alternate grain-spaces and smokeiiues, a connecting-hue, j, for receiving the Waste products of combustion from a boiler or other furnace, and cross-fines z', distributing said heat to said smoke-flues, substantially as described.

2. A grain-drier consisting of alternate smoke-fines and grain-spaces, and being provided With connections for receiving the Waste products from a boiler or other furnace, the said drier also having afurnace, b, adapted for independent use or auxiliary to said Waste products, substantially as described.

3. The combination of cross-dues z' with a series of vertical flues, d, arranged alternately with grain-spaces c, the said cross-hues communicating With'all of said vertical iiues, eX- cept the terminal one, by openings m in the top, and having larger delivery into said terminal one than with the others, substantially as described.

4. rPhe cross-flues i, in combinationwith the series of vertical flues d, arranged alternately with the grain-spaces o, and having openings m, communicating with said verticaliiues, also -having sloping covers nin the grain-spaces,

substantially as described.

ALBERT E. CLUTTER.

Witnesses: S. S. WHEELER, A. C. BAXTER. 

